Professor Jack Inspires Socioeconomic Discussion and Curriculum

Professor of Higher Education Leadership Anthony Abraham Jack, author of The Privileged Poor, spent time with several groups in the Parker community to discuss his work about socioeconomic disparity and its effects on a student’s ability to succeed and thrive in academic spaces. 

Jack began by speaking with faculty, staff, and the board of directors about the main themes of The Privileged Poor. Drawing from interviews with students and his own experience, he outlined ways college students from distressed public high schools—who he calls the Doubly Disadvantaged—or from lower-income families who attended private or prep schools—the Privileged Poor—are affected by the decisions and policies of institutions of higher education. 

During Morning Ex, Jack sat down for an interview-style conversation with seniors Christina Merikas and Jordan Drisdell, who participate in the DEIB Practitioner Seminar. Jack spoke about the need to find common ground to have conversations about socioeconomic differences, the importance of institutions evaluating their policies to ensure they are on par with changes in their student populations over time, and the ways that small moments of feeling seen can make a person feel like they are part of the community. 

From his research, Jack has found that the Doubly Disadvantaged and the Privileged Poor can have issues with asking for help when they need it. He left students with important words of advice: “Asking for help is not a weakness, but a strength. You’re smart enough to see you’re at a boundary of success and you need others to further your thinking.” 

In addition to the Morning Ex, Jack worked directly with Intermediate School students on the children’s book, A Bike Like Sergio’s, which discusses socioeconomic differences at an age-appropriate level. Additionally, to ensure Jack’s visit was an all-school experience, Parker’s faculty DEIB committee worked with the library and Lower School teachers to obtain additional books to help facilitate conversations about socioeconomic status. 

Through some of the books the committee provided , students Brittney Washington’s 2nd grade class explored how economic differences shape everyday life and communities can come together in meaningful ways. “Our conversations centered around empathy, understanding the differences between wants and needs, and recognizing that everyone experiences different levels of access to resources, wealth, and affordability,” Washington said.

Jack’s visit engaged the entire school community in important discussion about the reality of socioeconomic differences. Parker is grateful to Jack for sharing his work and inspiring the community to continue these conversations as we follow the school’s mission to seek purpose and impact through the content and methods that inform learning and teaching. Thanks to Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Erika Prahl for bringing Jack to campus and to the DEIB committee for fostering curriculum tied to this work.

Click here for photos of this visit.